I will say this… most songs improved with multiple listens - some didn’t, and some stayed about the same as my first impression.
LowdzFiction Syxx / Given Sight
Heavy AOR/Melodic Rock done absolutely right. Most likely the song of the round - indeed it was. Smooth vocals, tasty guitar licks, some nice little key/symphony elements, heavy but not-too-chunky riffs… this was spot on. Can't really say why this grabbed the top spot over Impellitteri… just my gut. Top 2 were more like 1a and 1b, but there can be only one BEST song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcs4PO2wIZMRanking: 1jjrock88Impellitteri / Lost in the Rain
Metal af… only beef is with the production/sound, but I can listen past that. Damn Bonnet can wail here. There ain't much to write, since this song didn't even crack 3 minutes. Great riffs, great vocals, excellent solo - despite being the shortest song, Chris fucking gives it here
. This is the reason I ask you back to my roulette's every go around. You've never sent anything 'bad' (a few duds, but nothing inherently bad); a lot of 'fuck I wish I heard this 25 years ago'; and then you drop songs like this on me. Well played sir, well played. Wooooooooo!
Ranking: 2EvermindMercenary / Redefine Me
Wasn't Borealis banned?
At first I thought you may have been better off to let Train send this one, but multiple listens helped this grow on me ... a lot - except the growls. Thankfully, they were short … in and out (you were pushing your luck on this one however). Had they been any longer, or in other sections, you may have dropped a spot or three. Nice rich guitar sound, and the clean vocals were somehow right in that range of being in that lower range, but not too monotone.
Ranking: 3BolstersEdenbridge / Myearthdream
Clearly a lot of Nightwish influences - especially in second half. I would say this is what the love-child of Within Temptation and Nightwish would sound like. It was really good, but I kept thinking "why am I not listening to those bands instead?" Don't get me wrong, this was gorgeous, well constructed, and the different sections flow nicely together. I'm just not sure it has a lot of staying power or replay value. Loved all the different melodies - vocal, guitar, and rhythm, and the instrumental/solo section was fantastic - but seriously, Nightwish-lite.
Ranking: 4awolfkingDragonForce / The Edge of the World
Glad you went with your gut… other than *that* one part, this clicked and ticked a lot of boxes. You're description was spot on. This one invariably benefited from not having any unconscious bias, as I had no idea this was the DF track the first couple of listens - multitasking with work stopped me from picking up the lyrics. The structure of this song reminded me of The Scarecrow - other than the growls of course. I didn't hate them, and while unnecessary (imo), they didn't hurt the ranking - if it was a scoring system I was using, it may have scored a little higher without the growls. Couple of stellar guitar solos there.
Ranking: 4blonestarPeriphery / The Way The News Goes
I could do without the 128th note snare run at the intro (and when it was revisited), but otherwise this was very good. Right on the fringe of what I'd find enjoyable, and what I'd consider 'meh'. Can’t really put my finger on why this appealed more than others, because - as was pointed out - it really shouldn’t have. I can’t exactly say I was wow’d, but I did mightily enjoy this.
Ranking: 5aTACThe Silent Wedding / Shadows and Dust
Not a lot of range in the vocals… not sure how I'm feelin about it - could go either way. Turns out, it didn’t really go any way, staying right in the middle of the pack. Another shorty guitar solo… seriously, can't these guys put a few more bars into that, or are we just spoiled by prog-metal 2-minute solos? This was pretty good, and stayed right in the middle of the road all week long. Not a lot (good or bad) to say about this one.
Ranking: 5bStadler
Heart / Mistral Wind (live)
I can totally see why you love it - it's probably equivalent to my love for Give to Live from Right Here/Right now. However, the intro sounded like the guitar needed a good tuning, and then that sequence kept coming up. Once we got past that, things dramatically improved. Ann is magnificent of course, and some of the sections were wonderful.
Ranking: 6ParamaDissona / The Last Resistance
Sorry to disappoint you, but this one wins the award for the best improvement. It didn't start out very strong, but once I got thru the … sludge?? … of the opening rhythm/intro, I dug this Nice mood, nice piano, nice (chocolate cake crunchy) guitar elements. Vocals not great, but by no means bad - but I liked them a bit more as the week went on. The screamy chorus didn't bother me at all either - tasteful and appropriate
. Totally loved the fast-paced instrumental breakdown - it had a wonderfully 'full' and 'rich' guitar sound ... and the growls there ... again, tasteful and appropriate.
Ranking: 6EliteHekz / Quetzlcoatl
Straight-forward prog-metal. Vocally a little bland, but not unenjoyable. The chorus was much more palatable than the verses - wasn't a fan of the chanting style of the vocals. The intro of the instrumental section reminded me of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner - bigtime. And the rest of it was top-notch
Ranking: 7aIndisciplineKilling Touch / The Danger Zone
Pretty standard melodic/power metal. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing really right with it either … it was just meh. Luppi was fine, but he didn't really do much to make this a great track - instrumentally it was enjoyable, but fairly bland. Still better than Dr. Stein though - even though it’s only a 1 spot improvement.
Ranking: 7bKatteloxAquaria / Judgement Day
You're damn right that you like your power metal with extra frommage. This was Viking Metal if I've ever heard it. This should've hit the mark, but it didn't - it wasn’t too far off, but it was ‘off’ none-the-less. It wasn't bad by any means, but just … ordinary (for this style/genre - which btw, is one that can be very hit-and-miss for me). In the battle of 'power' metal 'epics' (against wolfking), you brought a knife to a gun fight
. The only thing that makes this epic is it's duration.
Ranking: 7cPuppies_On_AcidManticora / Disciples of the Entities
Stop screaming at me. STOP SCREAMING AT ME!
STOP SCREAMING AT ME!!! Holy crap, someone needs to brew some decaf for Lars (vocalist). The opening riff, and the Instrumental section (which had one of the longer solo's of the round) worked well. Then the shouting started, and came back again and again - which was accompanied by a thrashi-ness that just didn't work for me. Repeated listens did not help this one. At all.
Ranking: 8aLetheanDreamscape / Thorn in My Mind
The instrumental breakdown was hit and miss for me - some parts great, some parts just ok - was that guitar solo what… 4 bars? It was nice, but seriously left me wanting more… whereas the chorus left me wanting less. It wasn't the repetitive nature of "Thorn in my Mind", but just the tone/key it was sung in. This song also did not benefit from multiple listens.
Ranking: 8bKingshmeglandDistorted Harmony / Time and Time Again
King may just have taken a bullet for ya'll… I was really trying to get into this, but just never did/could. It's comical that the one person who expressed confidence had absolutely no reason to have any. I'm really not sure what all the fuss is about with this band. This was remarkably disappointing. There was one recurring instrumental passage (the one 2:30-2:45) that was nice, but on the whole, all the different parts didn’t fit well together for these ears.. I did hear a track from them on a Spotify playlist that I recall enjoying (Misguided), but nothing about this tickled my pickle - many of the transitions felt awkward ... particularly the poppy opening, to metal riffing, then back to mellow. Sorry King. I still love ya.
Ranking: 9Train Of NaughtAnathema / The Lost Child
I didn't know which song this was until I looked on my 3rd listen, and I would've never guessed this was the Anathema song. Where was Lee? ... she's part of what I like about Anathema. Where was the wall of sound? The slow build was nice, and it did have some very lovely moments, but over all, I just wasn't feeling it - you were right to view this as a risk. I'm sure anybody can like pretty much any song with enough listens - and maybe that's the case here - but I don't see it getting the chance. Train may have just taken a bullet for ya'll… cuz even after repeated listens, I didn't really get into it.
Ranking: 10Standings (corrected now)
jjrock88** 4+2=6
wolfking* 2+4=6
Evermind 4+3=7
Lowdz 6+1=7
TAC 2+5=7
lonestar* 2+5=7
Kattoelox 1+7=8
Bolsters 5+4=9
Lethean* 4+8=12
kingshmegland 4+9=13
Stadler 7+6=13
Indiscipline** 6+7=13
Parama 9+6=15
Puppies 8+8=16
Elite 10+7=17
Train 9+10=19
* - 1 spot improvement
** - 2 spot improvement
Train... you get to handicap one of Lowdz, jj, or Evermind. Reminder of the categories:
Possible Handicaps:
Instrumental or ballad
Epic (15+ minutes) or shorty (under 3:30)
Pick a letter (RSTLNE) or color - the song, band or album must start with that letter, or have a color in it the title/name
Opening or closing track
Seven Deadly Sins - something to do with any of Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Pride, Sloth, Wrath, or Greed (and I'll be very liberal here)
Aggressive or Mellow
Song from the childhood years of the handicapped player
Or, another theme of your choosing (which must be 'approved' by me... ie, can't be too restrictive)